There’s peril when media sets out to confirm a narrative instead of reporting facts. Whether it’s criminal violence in America perpetrated by a deranged lunatic, or by violent drug cartels in countries beyond our borders, some media outlets will find the flawed logic to argue it is American companies that should be punished.
This results in a disservice to readers and erodes public trust not just in their subjects but also in the Fourth Estate.
Antigun Bias
It’s no surprise The Washington Post published an article critical of the firearm industry. What is surprising is that a news outlet with the motto “Democracy Dies in Darkness” would get so much wrong writing about firearms and gloss over the complicated and strictly-regulated process of firearm exports.
The report, written by Bloomberg opinion writer Francis Wilkinson, seemed to blame the firearm industry for corruption and crime in other nations, many with stricter gun control laws than that of the United States. The Washington Post uses words like “morally grotesque,” “murderous,” and “corrupt” to directly connect the industry with “facilitating” violent criminal regimes in other countries, including Guatemala. Other countries that are frequently referenced as receiving firearm exports from U.S. manufacturers include Mexico, Thailand, the Philippines and even Canada.
That column was preceded by one in Bloomberg chastising U.S. firearm manufacturers for crime, corruption and violence in Thailand. Bloomberg, of course, is owned by antigun-billionaire Michael Bloomberg, who also funds the gun control groups Everytown for Gun Safety, Moms Demand Action and Everytown’s agitprop outlet, The Trace.
The misleading narrative of how U.S. firearm exports are regulated was repeated by the Dallas Morning News editorial board. In that column, editors attempted to assign blame for lawlessness in Guatemala to U.S. firearm manufacturers.
The Washington Post’s, Bloomberg’s and Dallas Morning News’ repeated mischaracterizations of the export license process and review priorities of the U.S. Department of Commerce, known as the U.S. Munitions List to Commerce Control List reforms, are myopic views to provide the public with an inaccurate account of how firearms and ammunition exports are reviewed and approved.
The truth is there are multiple layers of redundancy and duplicative end-user checks for every single firearm and ammunition license application for export to another country. Firearms are only exported after both the State Department and Defense Department approve a sale, including a specific review to consider human rights records and regional stability.
The Washington Post also references a Congressional letter sent to U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, in which antigun Members of Congress criticize the department for “approving nearly $16 billion in firearms export licenses in the first 16 months after it took over authority over small arms exports from the State Department – a roughly 30 percent increase from the State Department’s rate of approval – while denying only 0.4 percent of applications.”
What those lawmakers get wrong, and the article’s author ignores, is that licenses issued by the Commerce Department are valid for four years, while the licenses previously issued by the State Department were only valid for one year. For this reason, the initial license applications in the transition year of 2020 were much higher than the comparable State Department totals.
Likewise, the Congressional letter refers to a Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) license denial rate of 0.4 percent, lamenting it as extremely low and implying BIS is rubberstamping the approval of firearm export licenses. The truth is firearm exporters do not submit applications for exports to countries they know are prohibited, embargoed or under a policy of denial.
Mexico’s Malicious Legal Maneuver
Bloomberg News has reported on Mexico’s years-long attempt to sue U.S. firearm manufacturers – including Smith & Wesson Brands Inc., Glock Inc., and Beretta USA Corp. – for $10 billion in compensatory damages with the help of the Brady United gun control group. Mexico is unwilling to enforce its gun control laws on their side of the border. Further, officials in Mexico’s federal government and military have been found guilty of corruption from the narco-terrorists plaguing that country. The firearm industry is deeply disturbed by the violence brought by these crime syndicates, often with the assistance of Mexican authorities. However, that doesn’t change the facts. Mexico is responsible for the rampant violence and corruption in their own nation.
“Mexico argues that American gun manufactures are partly liable for the country’s 23,000 annual gun deaths. The businesses allegedly sell assault rifles that can be easily converted to fire automatically and market their weapons to cartels, violating both US law and Mexican tort law,” reported Bloomberg.
Bloomberg failed to report that Mexico has just one firearm retailer in the entire country, and it’s located on a military base in the heart of Mexico City. An independent investigation showed that the Mexican army “lost” 30 percent of its small arms purchased from the United States. Those are arms only the government can buy yet are being found at crime scenes.
The case was correctly dismissed earlier by the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts but is now being considered on appeal by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.
Facts Matter
The lawful and Constitutionally-protected firearm industry is among the most stringently-regulated industries in the world. Industry members all share an immense sense of pride in the role they play in facilitating the exercise of the Second Amendment by law-abiding Americans. The firearm industry is invested in efforts to improve community safety, including programs that partner with law enforcement agencies at all levels.
This includes Project ChildSafe, which has distributed over 40 million free gun safety kits, including locking devices, free of charge through partnerships with more than 15,000 local police departments in every state and five U.S. territories. It also includes Operation Secure Store and Don’t Lie for the Other Guy, which help to educate neighborhood firearm retailers about the warning signs of illegal straw purchases and how to more securely store their inventory. The firearm industry led the effort to ensure that all disqualifying records are submitted to the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) by championing the FixNICS campaign to ensure the background check system works as intended. So far, the law has been changed in 16 states and in Congress.
NSSF also partners with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) and the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide firearm ranges and retailers resources to better recognize the signs of mental distress of suicidal ideations.
Media ignore that it’s the firearm industry that has a proven history of spearheading responsible gun ownership initiatives that have led to the lowest levels of unintended firearm fatalities since records first were kept in 1903, according to the National Safety Council’s Injury Facts Report. Instead, they carry the antigun water to blame U.S. companies for the violence committed in other countries.
Larry Keane is SVP for Government and Public Affairs, Assistant Secretary and General Counsel of the National Shooting Sports Foundation.
“…a news outlet with the motto “Democracy Dies in Darkness” …”
That’s not their motto — it’s their mission statement.
The media isn’t believed, even by their own sycophants.
When even the Leftist Scum ™ doesn’t believe their own bullshit, are they even effective any more?
Feature. not bug.
When the masses do not know the History of the Gun Control they are being fed by the marxist media they will swallow it hook, line and sinker.
Supporting Gun Control in any shape, matter or form makes as much sense as hanging a noose and swastika on your front door.
fembot has a tick.
pony has one trick.
At least she isn’t pointlessly attacking everyone, can we call that a win?
A reality check one would never see posted by jr. the forum’s resident bigot or by the forum’s resident pervert old sht head…
Geoff,
Go back and look at her first comment to the immediately prior article. Don’t know WHERE you got the idea that Debbie Dimwit was NOT pointlessly attacking other commenters – short of her endless, repetitive, sophomoric cut-and-paste posts on “racist gun control”, it’s her only brand.
oldshthead…Let me know if you are in Lousiana and calling it Florida. That way I can forward your post links to LA FL parish diocese so they can locate the church secretary you talk Guns with…by all accounts she is in danger being anywhere around you and has a right to know what a perverted pos you really are.
Miss secretary agrees a range day instead of a pointless restaurant visit would hit the spot.
You’re welcome to come along as long as you’re not spewing hateful bile at everyone… 🙂
She isn’t actually retarded enough to not know the difference between a church parish and how the French divided territory in their colonies is she?
jr…If your bigoted behind cannot debunk what I post then stfu and take up knitting.
Go back in the kitchen and make me a plate… 🙂
I’ll grab a knife and serve you your tiny weenie…you sick pervert.
gettin’ pretty good with paracord…
rosie grier did needlepoint.
debunk what you de- funk.
Well written article. The far Left will have a major problem trying to counter it.
There’s no such thing as “news media” or “journalism” in this Country, only propaganda.
Goebbels was an amateur compared to the people controlling the flow of information meant to shape our opinions, influence our votes, and keep themselves in power.
Gee, I guess all those missiles, tanks, artillery, aircraft, etc. that went to the Taliban, and Ukraine don’t count. No hypocrisy there, is there. Governments are the biggest gun runners of all. They just don’t like competition.
Good point gunnyG
One wonders why anyone ever believed the media on anything in the first place.
You get some telegraphed report of goings on in a place you’ve never been, by people you’ve never met, regarding a topic you’ve never studied and you’re just supposed to take it at face value. Why?
Shire-man:
The Allies won WW2 as sole possessor of The Bomb – FDR died, leaving Harry T in charge – and it bears repeating, in sole possession of nukes…
HT gave half of Europe to Stalin, allowed Mao to win in China and condemned half of Korea to rule by the Kims – thus sealing the incomprehensibly horrible fates of 100s of millions.
And a lot of good Americans got killed in the process.
Bill Clinton and the NYT think HT was the best prez ever. Profs and authors do not disagree – and I never heard a Republican mention this incredible betrayal.
Notice I haven’t even mentioned the Cold War, the Soviet arsenal, MAD, Viet Nam… which were birthed by HT’s “heroism”.
Why would anyone think we have long been misled by some sort of information conspiracy?
FDR gave half of Europe to the Soviet Union at the Malta Conference.
The US provided both money and weapons to the Chinese government, but that government was corrupt and its troops demoralized. Mao was receiving support from the Soviets. Hard to blame the US for Mao’s success.
Technically the United Nations fought the Korean War, although the US provided most of the troops and material. The Korean Armistice Agreement is an armistice that brought about a complete cessation of hostilities of the Korean War. It was signed by United States Army Lieutenant General William Harrison Jr. and General Mark W. Clark representing the United Nations Command (UNC), North Korea leader Kim Il Sung and General Nam Il representing the Korean People’s Army (KPA), and Peng Dehuai representing the Chinese People’s Volunteer Army (PVA). One cannot discount the fact that a million Chinese troops crossed the Yalu River, without which the North Koreans would have been defeated.
What part of “sole possessor of nukes” has escaped the notice of history?
Nice exposition of the Establishment blather tho. Truman, Stevenson and Stalin would give you a hearty “yeah, buddy!”
1945-1950, Truman (and America) had total military supremacy, gave it away. Makes Saul and Ahab look like pikers.
Biggest victory the Left/Communists ever had.
Anybody wants to argue it would have been even worse had FDR lived, I will not disagree.
I like the graphic. Locals call the Tallahassee Democrat the mullet wrapper.
Well, hell yeah, but that ain’t no mullet in the image. Looks kind of like a sick hardtail.
X, both are only good for bait.
Disagree.
Broiled Hardtail bettern Spanish. Both caught the same way Mullet does vary alot but can be good groceries
Certainly better stuff out there, tho. Swordfish is the best I have had, but it was store-bought, so I would agree it doesn’t count. Personally I will eat all the Cobia available, then look for second best.
Mullet can be tolerable if the sun never sets on them after they come out of the net and they’re fried. Cobia makes a fine steak on the grill. The mackerel family is okay as long as you cut the red line out. Pompano out of the surf are hard to beat. Same with most reef fish. Red snapper and grouper in particular.
“as long as you cut the red line out.”
Did not know that. I’ll try that next time I have a Spanish handy. No complaints about kings here. Of the fish kind. that is.
But the pomps have eluded me so far.
X, buy a sand flea rake. Buy a couple of packages of Nylures and tip them with the fleas. I’ve had the best luck with 1/2 oz with a chrome head and a yellow skirt with the red stripe. You can use fresh shrimp if you can’t get fleas. Let it go to the bottom and give it a twitch on a slow retrieve. You can also buy pre-rigged pompano rigs. Tie a pyramid weight to it, bait it and stick the rod in a sand spike. Sit down, crack open a beer and watch the rod tip. Use a light leader. Pomps have good eyes and can be line shy.
I see that you understand why they have eluded me. No way to shoot them of course, dern it.
I talked to a guy back when Winchester lever gun collecting first took off bigtime. He could not figure out “how in the HELL” the bore on the old 25-35 he bought got so worn out. I had to laugh.
That said, I intend to fish more between now and Christmas, and will keep your advice handy. Although bull shark is currently Most Wanted.
X, of course you have to fish the pompano run. Can’t catch them if they’re not there. 😁
X, those bull sharks are not a problem. Dead bait on the bottom in brackish water. Even fresh if you’re not too far up river. They’ll find it. Watch your fingers 🤘. It can interfere with a proper grip on your favorite handgun. Needless to say you need a wire leader. I hate putting them in the boat. They stink to high heaven.
In the boat ain’t happening, lol. If it’s a keeper, I will tow it. Do not know wtf I would do with it tho. I guess it’s just a bucket thing.
FL is screwing up on shark and gator management. imo. Taking the largest out annually in recreational areas should be encouraged. It is a safety issue.
What is bothering me is that everytime somebody gets amputated or killed, an “expert” has to grab the limelight and start preaching how “rare” an attack is, and what “magnificent” creatures they are, and just generally propagandizing. It strikes me as extremely rude.
The days when extinction was looming are long past. Past time to start culling.
Been real, enjoyed it. See you around.
DANG MAKES ME WANTA GO BUY A NEW PISTOL , I BETTER GO BUY THAT THAR S&W REVOLVER I WAS LOOKING … SOONER THA BETTER , YEEHAA…
Speaking of carrying water, does the NSSF still give John Cornyn an A-grade for passing the Bi-partisan Safer Communities Act and in so doing allowing Biden’s ATF to make us all “gun-dealers?”
Carrying water indeed Mr Larry “Redflag” Keane.
US gun companies are responsible for the corruption in other countries?
What kind of logic does that make?
I can see why Dacron/Daciron/Dacwhatever is not commenting on this one.
the Mexican Government is the sole legal importer of US firearms, but what the Mexicans contend in their lawsuit is that there is a substantial supply of US manufactured arms smuggled into the country. It is the same theory by which various governmental agencies and individual plaintiffs have sought to hold the manufacturers liable for the illegal/criminal acts committed by third persons even when the manufacturers have complied with federal law. Wash, rinse, repeat.
Mark – a point if I may regarding that ‘lawsuit’ by the Mexican .gov – it is ILLEGAL on numerous levels for those evil guns to be smuggled into their country. Perhaps they should devote more effort into curbing the acts of the criminals instead of filing blatantly frivolous suits. Hmm, come to think of it a lot (all?) of the .gov gun grabbers here should do the same, but they won’t. And yes slow joe I’m talking specifically to you and your cronies.
No different than the media that colluded with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi’s. Chief among them in the U.S. being the New York Times.
The US gun makers should sue Mexico for a permissive environment that leads to an insecure border, human trafficing, gun running etc. that lead to crimes in the US that are detrimental to their reputation of supplying lawfully armed citizens of the US.
I’m curious about these claims of US gun makers “advertising to Cartels.” Did Scarface become the spox of one of the gun makers?
The people of the gun, especially on this site, do not report gun suicides, nor the fact that they outnumber murders or that they are predominantly associated with red states/rural areas
That’s some bias from a supposed source of “Truth”
Unfortunately, for you your emotions don’t count as facts.
You are more likely to kill yourself with a gun than to be murdered by a gunman.
That is the Truth that you refuse to confront.
SUICIDE, This statement is as inflammatory as it is stupid. Suicide is a personal issue. If the person doesn’t have a gun there are numerous other weapons or means to achieve their “goal” of self destruction. This is a MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE, not a “gun issue”. You bet that the TRUTH is something you anti-gun radicals refuse to confront.
“Gun suicides?” Now, that’s just sad.
There should be an intervention program to prevent these firearms from offing themselves.
Just make sure they have to get a pyscheval before they can buy salt.
Our body. Our choice. Almost no guns in Japan. How do they suicide?
“The media” is a thinly disguised antisemitic dog whistle. Continuing to push this myth of Jewish media influencing stronger gun control laws is going to get innocent Jews hurt. TTAG, be better!
“The media are the enemy of the people.”
President Donald Trump
If there’s anyone out there who believes that the media are here to safeguard our rights, you are a fool.
The news media in the United States has not believed in the Bill of Rights, for quite some time now. But They certainly want “their” first amendment rights.
They have absolutely no concern about the first amendment rights of other people.
President Trumps is the first serious threat to the “regime” of this country. That is why he is so dangerous. And that is why 78 million of his supporters are extremely dangerous to the regime as well.
I’m sure some of them dream of having a Treblinka, Auschwitz, or a Dachau in the country. After all they need to do something with the 78 million Trump supporters.
The Roseburg Beacon: Wednesday, November 22, 2023/Letters To The Editor
To The Roseburg Beacon
Wednesday, November 22, 2023 marks the 60th anniversary of the assassination of John F. Kennedy in Dallas, Texas on November 22, 1963. This was on my 7th birthday. This LBJ inspired treachery impacted my age group in the most negative way, and continues to haunt and curse our nation today! Unfortunately, an issue doesn’t disappear simply because it’s been ignored, censored, covered up and concealed for decades. This is especially so due to our government controlled socialist public schools, colleges, universities and academia, who walk in step with a deceitful and morally/intellectually dishonest news media! Fortunately The Roseburg Beacon continues to be one of few bulwarks against truth decay. Case in point: “American Experience, “LBJ: Beautiful Texas/My Fellow Americans. A profile of Lyndon B. Johnson.” This recently aired on KSYS Channel 8.1 Aug. 15 and 16, 2016, respectively.
Consider the following the itemized links below:
Barr McClellan’s 2003 book: “Blood, Money, and Power: How LBJ Killed JFK”. Also posted on YouTube.
J. Evett Haley’s 1964 book: “A Texan Looks At Lyndon: A Study In Illegitimate Power.”
“How Persecution of American Christians Really Began in The US!” via the Constitution Party of Oregon (www.constitution party oregon.net) posted under “Liberty In The News.”
Trump to Pastors: ‘Christians Have Been Silenced Like a Child” via Pat Robertson’s 700 club confronts the 1954 Johnson Amendment which remains blatant censorship.
“Lyndon Johnson Murdered John F. Kennedy” on YouTube.
The oppressive 1968 Gun Control Act LBJ signed into federal legislation and its Nazi/ racist roots long since exposed by JPFO, Inc. at http://www.jpfo.org.
“The Man Who Killed Kennedy: The Case Against LBJ” 2013 by Roger Stone.
Finally, the Vietnam War (1961-1975). How LBJ and then Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara greatly escalated this “no win war” in Southeast Asia. And at a cost of 58,000 American lives. Lyndon B. Johnson likewise paved the way for Carter, Clinton, Obama, and Biden. And while Richard M. Nixon was no saint, he wasn’t even in the ballpark with Lyndon when it came to the above political atrocities, abuses, and crimes against the American people.
No, the public’s distrust of our government didn’t start with Richard Nixon and Watergate in 1974. It started with Lyndon B. Johnson (LBJ), Thomas Dodd (D) of Connecticut, LBJ’s anti-gun lieutenant in the U.S. Senate and fabricator of the unconstitutional 1968 Federal Gun Control Act, Ted Kennedy, both the Earl Warren and Warren Burger Supreme Courts, not to mention the corrupt Daley Democratic Machine in Chicago, Illinois (Cook County). How soon the public forgets!
James A. Farmer Klamath Falls, Oregon. Long Live The State of Jefferson!
On the Net: The Roseburg Beacon at http://www.roseburgbeacon.com. This weekly independent newspaper is one bulwark against truth decay and political deceit. Other honest sources include: The Epoch Times at http://www.theepochtimes. com and News With Views at http://www.newswithviews.com.
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